Softball

Smith Softball Defeats MIT, 2-0 and 7-1

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. - The MIT softball team fell to Smith College, 2-0 and 7-1, in a NEWMAC doubleheader on Wednesday. The Engineers drop to 4-12 overall and 0-6 in conference play while the Pioneers improve to 10-6 and 2-2.

In the opening game, Smith threatened to get on the board in the fourth inning. With runners on second and third and one out, MIT pitcher Leah Bogsted got herself out of trouble by posting back-to-back strikeouts. The Engineers also had an opportunity to score fall short in the bottom of the sixth. Lara Kostun led off with a single up the middle. Adrianne Hee reached on an error, with both runners advancing on the throw. Bogsted hit a single which moved Hee to third but Kostun was thrown out at home. Bogsted stole second, giving Tech two runners in scoring position. Like Bogsted, Smith's Katie Maroney struck out the side.

In the next inning, the Pioneers' Katie Shafer reached on an error. Consecutive infield singles from Debbie Sasges and Chole Pete loaded the bases. Nicole Caffrey blasted a two-out single to right field, scoring Shafer and Sasges.

On the mound, Maroney picked up the win for Smith, fanning 12 batters while allowing only four hits. For MIT, Bogsted struck out eight and surrendered seven hits.

Smith carried its momentum into the second game, scoring in the first inning. A two-out walk by Sara Watson was followed by a RBI double to right field from Caffrey. The Pioneers tacked on two more runs in the third frame. Pete singled and then stole second. In the next at-bat, Watson earned her second walk of the game. An error by MIT allowed Pete to score and move Watson to second base. Caffrey hit a single to left field, bringing Watson home.

Smith held a 3-0 edge until the seventh, when it added four more runs. Nicole Banton singled to left field and then scored on a triple by Sasges to center field. Pete's infield single scored Sasges. Watson was hit by a pitch, which moved Pete to second. Caffrey's second double of the game cleared the bases.

MIT's Amanda Poteet led off the bottom half of the inning with a single to shortstop. Batya Fellman's ground out to pitcher Erica Hubbard moved Poteet to second. Elizabeth Gillenwater reached on an error and moved to second on the throw to third base. While Poteet was going to third, another defensive miscue occurred and she attempted to score but was thrown out at the plate. Holly Jeffrey ended the shutout by hitting a single to left field which scored Gillenwater.

Hubbard earned the win for Smith while Bogsted lost her second game of the day. Offensively, Caffrey and Pete hit 3-for-4 while Caffrey totaled four RBI. For MIT, Poteet, Jeffrey, and Cheryl Texin each went 2-for-3.

The next game for MIT will be on Friday, April 8 when it hosts NEWMAC foe Worcester Polytechnic Institute.